When the EU’s Seventh Framework Program* was drawn up, security research was one of the project themes. This has to a great extent increased FOI’s presence in the field of European research.

“There are many who want FOI as a participant since we are European leaders in many areas, for example sensors, security analysis, the detection of explosive substances and the identification of chemical and biological substances,” says E Anders Eriksson, Research Director at FOI.

This has brought many new tasks for FOI’s scientists. Gudrun Cassel is one example, she is the Swedish project manager for five EU-funded research projects:

1. Triage of the injured at the scene of a chemical discharge.
Where FOI is responsible for the creation of scenarios and studying the work in other European countries.
2. Clean-up of the site following a chemical discharge.
Where FOI participates in exercises and trials of clean-up following a discharge.
3. How to protect oneself from chemical terrorism.
Where FOI produces gaming cards with scenarios for a CBR training package **.
4. Improved safety and security around Seveso establishments ***.
Where FOI contributes safety, threat and risk assessments for major chemical establishments.
5. INTEG-RISK – integrated risk assessment of new threats posed by dangerous substances.
Where FOI looks at methods for the risk assessment of new threats, for example in the area of new nanomaterials.

Gudrun Cassel tells how she became involved with her first EU project in 2003. Since then the number of tasks has kept on growing since FOI has expert knowledge in the field of “dangerous substances” that is hard to find elsewhere in Europe.

“This is especially so within our dispersion group which calculates the dispersion parameters for dangerous substances and combines these with toxicity templates in order to determine the consequences of a discharge, and to raise awareness of these. Then many of the organisations working in the same areas as we do are more firmly tied to the defence sector and so have to be more secretive. Because we are open to the civil market we naturally tend to attract much interest,” she explains.

And success breeds success. European research increases the collective competence within FOI, which in turn gives FOI an increasingly important role in the European research network. And, according to Anders Eriksson, FOI’s involvement has the potential to grow further still.

“Not least, we should be able to play an important part in the work that needs to be done once the EU project has been completed, when the results of the research are industrialised.,” he says.

To gain a larger share of the EU’s research funding is part of FOI’s strategy to compensate for the reduction in the amount allocated by the Swedish Armed Forces for research and technology development. And Gudrun Cassel sees a simple way to increase FOI’s presence in Europe.
“It is all about doing a good job,” she says. “Then one gets given new tasks.”

* The EU’s Seventh Framework Program for research and development is due to provide funding amounting to 55 billion euro for European research projects over the period 2007-2013.
** CBR stands for chemical, biological and radiological substances.
*** Seveso establishments are industries and other establishments which handle large amounts of dangerous chemicals. The name arose from the disastrous accidental release of dioxins in the town of Seveso in northern Italy in 1976. There were no fatalities due to the toxic emissions on that occasion but tens of thousands of animals either died or had to be slaughtered.